Brooklyn community groups refute SUNY figures, call for new LICH operator search
Send open letter to SUNY, Mayor and other officials
SUNY’s search for a developer to buy Long Island College Hospital (LICH) is invalid and the RFP (Request for Proposals) process needs to start from scratch, say six community groups fighting in court to prevent SUNY Downstate from selling the embattled hospital in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn to Fortis Property Group.
In an open letter to SUNY, Mayor Bill de Blasio and other elected officials, the organizations debunk SUNY Downstate’s claims of LICH’s financial liabilities — figures SUNY used to justify selling off the hospital’s valuable real estate to a developer.
At the December 2013 meeting of SUNY Trustees, Chairman H. Carl McCall claimed that LICH’s liabilities totaled $513 million. This total included liabilities from PIT bonds ($118 million), a SUNY loan ($75 million), “Cost to exit LICH” ($180 million), and the Othmer Endowment ($140 million).